Izabel Schmidt made an instant splash in her freshman swimming season at Hays High last year, capping a strong campaign by placing sixth in the 100 freestyle and seventh in the 50 freestyle at state. 

Instead of concentrating solely on her 50 and 100 free events, Schmidt has tried to add as much to her plate as possible this year as a sophomore. 

“I’ve been doing more of the events instead of just limiting myself to the 50 and the 100 free, and that’s been going really well,” Schmidt said. “I’ve been getting a lot of PRs and I’ve been ranked pretty well.

“I think last year I just kind of got bored doing the 50 and the 100 almost all the time. I didn’t really get a chance to do the other events. Also I’ve been trying to get a lot of the records at Hays High, so I’ve been trying to do more events.”

Schmidt, who already owns five school records, switches up her events for each meet. She has swam the 50 free, 100 free, 200 free, 500 free, 100 breaststroke, 100 butterfly, 100 backstroke and 200 individual medley during the course of the season. Schmidt also swims on Hays’ 200 medley and freestyle relay teams. 

“I think it’s more fun because I get to experience different races,” Schmidt said. “Switching it up keeps it exciting.”

Schmidt notched two season-bests in the Hays Invitational on Monday at Fort Hays State, winning the 100 freestyle (55.21) and the 200 individual medley (2:23.90). 

“I felt really good about my day,” Schmidt said. 

As of early last week, Schmidt ranked in the top 15 in Class 5-1A in five events – the 50 free (third, 24.73), 500 free (10th, 5:39.42), 200 free (13th, 2:03.90), 100 butterfly (13th, 1:03.01) and the 100 free (57.14). She has since bettered her times in the 100 free at 1:01.73, 200 free at 2:03.57 and 100 free (55.21). 

At state last year Schmidt swam a 54.41 in the 100 free and a 25.11 in the 50 free. 

“State was definitely an experience last year,” Schmidt said. “Everyone was really fast and it was really exciting and fun and I got to see a lot of my other teammates (from club). 

“I think this year I’m training harder so by the time we get to state I can do even better.”

Other Western Kansas swimming standouts 

– Dodge City’s Faith Woydziak won the 200 free and the 100 breaststroke in the Hays Invitational. Ashlyn Armstrong won the 500 freestyle for the Red Demons.

– Holcomb’s Isabel Macias won the butterfly in Hays with a 1:18.67. The Longhorns’ 200 medley relay team of Jensyn Kennedy, Sarah Davis, Macias and Halle Jones took first with a 2:13.88. 

– Avery Meng of Garden City won the 100 breaststroke in 1:13.73 last Tuesday at the Campus Invitational. 

– Great Bend’s Clarise Snapp won the 100 breaststroke at the Salina Invitational last Tuesday with a 1:19.61.